How can we make solar panels more efficient?

Answers

Currently, solar panels use layers of silicone, which capture the photons and convert them into energy. Silicone captures blue light fairly well, but red and infrared waves tend to pass through. MIT researchers are currently looking into a new way of making panels by thinning out the silicone layer to cut the cost, and putting what are called photonic crystals behind the silicone. Photonic crystals are known for reflecting all photons of many different wavelengths, so the red and infrared waves that pass through the silicone would be reflected back to the silicone again until they get absorbed. One researcher quoted that “the photonic crystal can increase the efficiency of solar cells by up to 37 percent,” plus it makes the panels cheaper to produce.

Some solar panels have become more efficient just by including more surface space to capture more light. Antireflective coating also helps in capturing greater amounts of off-angle light. Sun Power, a Silicon Valley manufacturer is developing new solar panels using these methods to hopefully gain a much higher efficiency.